To Snack or Not to Snack
The debate among… well everyone.
Its 3 in the afternoon and well your brain starts to wonder. You might be home taking care of kids afterschool & they are asking for a snack. Or you are at work in between meetings and are looking for that afternoon pick me up to clear brain fog. Either way you think of a snack you can eat and get moving on with tasks you have coming up. But are you really hungry?
Some helpful tips on making this decision and what to snack on to get you to the next meal.
Are you thirsty? Have you drank enough water today?
Did you eat a complete meal at your last meal or was it too small? Were you short on time and did not get enough at your last meal?
Is it just you go to habit at 2:30-3pm to snack?
Are others snacking and you are a "i see others eating and i need to eat" kind of person?
Are you just hungrier today?
You are not a child stop grabbing goldfish and an apple sauce packet. You don’t need that snickers bar or sugar caffeine drink either. That’s a crash you are not wanting. Your body wants fuel to sustain not a big blood sugar Spike then Crash. (We all have done this). Your body is 1. Probably thirsty, it doesn’t know the difference between hunger and thirst it just asks to send down food. Try some water or unsweetened tea first and see how you are doing. 2. Or stuck in the snack habit. I get it I was/am too. I get food worried. I worry that I’m going to be hungry for 2-3 hours while Driving kids all over town for after school sports. So grab that apple and some nuts for the car. And see if you eat it. If not then you were really not that hungry. You don’t know how many apples have gone bad in my car for this very reason. I say pick 2 items below
Snack ideas fiber filled and protein filled Pick one from each Group
FIBER-FILLED SNACKS
Fruits, veggies, and whole grains all deliver filling fiber.
Try to aim for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
banana
apple
blackberries
strawberries
carrot sticks
sweet potato (add cinnamon so good)
⅓ avocado
3 cups popcorn
whole-wheat crackers
corn thins, multigrain
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1 packet instant oats
1 mini high-fiber granola bar
PROTEIN-PACKED SNACKS
Whether from animals or plants these options provide at least 4 grams of protein.
2 tablespoons almonds
1 tablespoon peanut butter
edamame
hummus
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1 large hard-boiled egg
3 ounces albacore tuna
3 slices turkey
1 container Greek yogurt, plain (top with berries)
1 cup kefir
4 oz cottage cheese
1 stick mozzarella cheese
The main thing is to first hydrate. Drink your water, don't like water? Drink tea No added sweetener/ or Add citrus to your water. Paying attention to your blood sugar is the key to not having the "crash". If you know you are hungry for lunch at 11 am most days that is you time to eat. Are you noticing you are having that afternoon crash at 3pm and needing something to get through the day? Maybe you need to push lunch back a bit to see what works for you not to need that afternoon snack. There is not a wrong way of doing it it is about finding what works for your body. We don't want hanger or cravings to take over our days. Enjoy your snack.
Need more information on how not to listen to the yo yo dieter in your head? send me a message, I am happy to help.
Happy Healthy & SparkLIFE,
-Carley
480-225-0120